The present invention relates to wireless local area networks, and particular to such networks as include arrangements for locating mobile units based on signals transmitted by the mobile units. In particular the invention relates to methods for detecting unauthorized access or attempted access to the wireless local area network.
The use of mobile data communications systems to perform location functions for locating mobile units is described in articles entitled Enhancements to the User Location and Tracking System, by Paramvir Bahl and Venkata N. Padmanabhan, and User Location and Tracking in an In-Building Radio Network, Microsoft Technical Report MSR-TR-99-12, dated February 1999, by the same authors, both published by Microsoft Research. As described therein signal strength of signals of the wireless data communications system, such as a system using the protocol of IEEE Standard 802.11, are used for locating mobile units within an area serviced by the system. Other techniques for locating mobile units using the wireless data communications systems or other location system are possible.
In co-pending application Ser. No. 09/528,697, filed Mar. 17, 2000, which is owned by the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference, there is described a system which follows the protocol of IEEE Standard 802.11, but which uses a combination of RF Ports (also called “access ports”) and Cell Controllers to perform the functions of Access Points of a classical 802.11 data communications system. Lower level MAC functions are performed by the RF Ports and higher level MAC functions, including association and roaming functions, are performed by the cell controller. The term “access point” as used herein is intended to include conventional access points, such as those which follow the protocol of IEEE Standard 802.11 and perform all MAC functions, as well as RF Ports operating with cell controllers, as described in the incorporated co-pending application.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for detecting unauthorized access or attempted access to such systems based on the location of a transmitter sending selected signals, which may be part of an attempt for unauthorized access.